Play Shimura Ken No Baka Tonosama : Bakushou Tenka Touitsu Ga Online

I picked up Shimura Ken No Baka Tonosama on the Game Boy Advance back when it was new. It was a Japan only release from Banpresto, one of those many quirky titles that never made it overseas. It fit right in with the GBA's library, a platform full of experimental and comedy driven games that you could just slip into your pocket.

You control a foolish lord, Ken Shimura, and your goal is to unify the nation through sheer absurdity. The game plays out across a map screen where you move your character from territory to territory. In each area, you engage in short, comedic mini games; these range from simple reflex tests to bizarre challenges based on the comedian's routines. Success in these games lets you conquer the region and sometimes recruit new, equally silly characters to your cause. The pacing is brisk, never lingering too long on one joke or task, and the difficulty comes more from the unpredictable nature of the gags than from any complex mechanics. It feels like participating in a live, interactive comedy sketch rather than playing a traditional strategy game.